1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of operating a coil transfer apparatus with a coiling station having a coiling roller each at an entry side of the coiling station and an exit side of the coiling station and with a uncoiling station with an uncoiling roller each on an entry side of the uncoiling station and an exit side of the uncoiling station. The method includes coiling a strip in a coiling station into a coil or placing a coil onto the coiling rollers, supporting the coil by the coiling rollers during coiling or after placement of the coil on the coiling rollers, and transferring the coil for uncoiling to the uncoiling station and supporting the coil after the transfer during uncoiling by the uncoiling rollers.
The present invention also relates to a corresponding coil transfer apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Slabs are either continuously cast in thin slab casting machines to dimensions which are close to the final dimensions or they are rolled after continuous casting in a roughing train before they are further processed in a finishing train. The strip leaves the roughing train approximately at three times the speed at which it is later to enter into the finishing train. Therefore, in order to maintain the temperature of the slab, the prior art provides that, for example, as disclosed in Stahl und Eisen 103 (1983) No. 7, pages 31 to 36, that the slab is coiled into a coil in a coiling station of a coil transfer apparatus, wherein the coil is supported by coiling rollers during coiling. Subsequently a mandrel is moved into the eye of the coil and the coil is transferred from the coiling station to the uncoiling station.
Uncoiling of the strip is started already when the mandrel is moved into the eye and the coil is transferred. Coiling of the next strip into a coil can start as soon as the already coiled coil has reached the uncoiling station.
Because the mandrel is moved into the eye of the coil, the inner windings are cooled to a greater extent than the outer windings; this has a negative influence on the rolling process in the finishing train and the quality of the finish-rolled strip.
Methods of operating coil transfer apparatuses and corresponding coil transfer apparatuses, in which the transfer of the coil occurs without a mandrel, are already known in the art. However, all of these methods and apparatuses are complicated and expensive. Also, the apparatuses are not easily accessible for maintenance and repair work.